Maharashtra Mandates Health Standards to Combat Junk Food in Educational Institutions
State authorities have issued a sweeping directive to eliminate high-fat and sugary foods from schools while enforcing nutritional alignment with national guidelines. The order makes school management legally responsible for dietary safety across all educational boards.
Key takeaways
- Maharashtra bans high-fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) foods in all schools, including private, CBSE, and ICSE institutions.
- School management is legally responsible for food safety, requiring FSSAI licensing and the appointment of a Health and Wellness Ambassador.
- Food safety officers must conduct twice-yearly inspections and annual food sampling at every school in the state.
- Sale of junk food is prohibited within a 50-meter radius of school premises, with mandatory reporting of violations to local authorities.
- Annual compliance reports must be submitted by March 31, with affiliation renewals tied to meeting these nutritional standards.
Rigorous Standards for School Nutrition
The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched an expansive regulatory framework to enforce food safety and nutritional balance across the state’s educational landscape. Issued by Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, the mandate encompasses government, private, and aided schools, ranging from pre-primary to secondary levels. Residential hostels and external food suppliers fall under these new requirements, though creches catering to infants under 22 months are exempt. The directive strictly aligns school menus with the dietary benchmarks established by the National Institute of Nutrition.
Ban on HFSS Products and Marketing
Central to this policy is a total prohibition of High Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) items within school boundaries. This ban targets chips, fried snacks, and carbonated sugary drinks, extending to a complete freeze on HFSS advertisements on school computer systems. Beyond the school gates, management must report any unauthorized sales of these products within a 50-meter radius to local government bodies and food safety officers. To prioritize health, the state demands a shift toward whole grains, pulses, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.
Institutional Accountability and Enforcement
School administrations now serve as the primary legal guarantors of food safety. Compliance requires several specific actions:
- Securing formal FSSAI licenses or registrations.
- Adhering to Schedule 4 hygiene standards.
- Appointing a designated Health and Wellness Ambassador or nodal officer.
- Establishing a formal School Nutrition Policy and holding four annual awareness sessions.
For government-aided institutions, the School Education Department will oversee the registration of PM POSHAN suppliers. Educational boards, including CBSE and ICSE, are now required to link school affiliation and renewals to the strict adherence of these food regulations.
Inspection Protocols and Health Objectives
Field-level enforcement rests with food safety officers, who are mandated to inspect every school at least twice annually and conduct food sampling once a year. Penalties for non-compliance are severe, ranging from improvement notices and license cancellations to criminal prosecution under the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011. This initiative, themed “safe food - healthy childhood - capable Maharashtra,” aims to reverse rising trends in childhood obesity, anemia, and lifestyle diseases. Thus far, 4,919 teachers across 3,567 schools have completed sensitivity training to support this transition.
Source: The Hindu — National
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